Paris 2024: Palestine's Omar Ismail shows promise on Olympics debut in taekwondo

Sharjah-based teenager makes winning start before falling to No 2 seed Vicente

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 07: Omar Ismail of Team Palestine looks on during the Omar Ismail of Team Palestine and Hadi Tiranvalipour of of Refugee Olympic Team on day twelve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Grand Palais on August 07, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Maja Hitij / Getty Images)

Palestine's Omar Ismail (blue) and Spain's Adrian Vicente compete in the taekwondo men's -58kg round of 16 bout of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. AFP

Ismail and Vicente in action. AFP

Palestine's Ismail reacts after losing to Spain's Vicente. AFP

Spain's Vicente consoles Palestine's Ismail. AFP

A disappointed Ismail exits the mat. AP

Refugee Olympic Team's Hadi Tiranvalipour and Palestine's Omar Ismail (blue) compete. AFP

Ismail and Tiranvalipour in action. Getty Images

Ismail and Tiranvalipour in their opening bout. Getty Images

Ismail and Tiranvalipour after their match. Getty Images

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Palestine's Omar Ismail was defeated in the -58kg taekwondo Round of 16 at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday – but not before pushing his experienced opponent close.

UAE-based Ismail, who lives in Sharjah, was up against second seed Adrian Vicente of Spain and was seconds away from taking the match into a deciding round.

After losing the first round 8-3, Ismail led the second 6-3 with 10 seconds remaining, but a head kick from Vicente in the final exchanges turned the contest back in the Spaniard's favour.

Considering the pedigree of his opponent – Vicente won bronze at last year's World Championships – Ismail, 18, proved he can challenge the best in the sport.

Earlier in the day, Ismail had made a winning start to his campaign with a 2-0 victory over Hadi Tiranvalipour of the Refugee Olympic Team.

Ismail won the first round 4-3 to take an early lead and followed it up with a 5-0 second-round victory to book his place in the Round of 16.

Meanwhile, Qatar's reigning Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim made it through the high jump qualifying round at Paris 2024 but not without a slight fitness niggle.

Barshim was one of four athletes in his group to clear the 2.27 metre benchmark to qualify joint-second behind the USA's Shelby McEwen, who flawlessly completed all his jumps. Barshim had missed his first attempt at 2.27m.

Barshim, 33, and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi, who famously agreed to share the gold medal in Tokyo rather than contest a jump-off, once again showed their friendship during a difficult qualifying session.

Both advanced despite physical issues. At one point, with Barshim writhing in pain with what looked like a cramp in his calf, Tamberi came over and massaged his leg. Later, the medical staff took over.

“Nothing is good right now,” Tamberi said after joining his friend in Saturday's final (9pm UAE). Tamberi, 32, has already had an eventful Olympics, losing his wedding ring in the Seine while taking care of flag bearer duties for Italy during the opening ceremony. He then had to return home and was hospitalised for what he described on Instagram as a "probable" kidney stone issue.

Meanwhile, Djamel Sedjati breezed through his 800m heat, saluting as he crossed the finish line in first place.

The Algerian has designs on David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91secs but eased up as he approached the finish line ahead of Great Britain's Giles Elliott and Hobbs Kessler in a time of 1:46.15.

Morocco's Ines Laklalech was six shots over par after the opening round of the women’s individual stroke play. Only 12 players in the 60-strong field shot below par on a day when scoring proved difficult for most.

Egypt were eliminated from the men's handball in the quarter-finals after a heartbreaking overtime defeat to Spain.

Egypt led 25-24 with 31 seconds remaining of normal time when Spain scored the crucial equaliser to force the additional 10 minutes.

In a match of fine margins, Spain got the winner at the death to win 29-28 and move into the semi-finals.

In football, Soufiane Rahimi gets the chance to add to his tournament-leading six goals when Morocco face Egypt in the men's football bronze medal match on Thursday.

Morocco missed out on a final place after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Spain in their semi-final on Monday.

The Atlas Lions had led courtesy of a penalty from Al Ain forward Rahimi but were pegged back by Fermin Lopez's 65th-minute equaliser before substitute Juanlu Sanchez grabbed a late winner.

Egypt missed out on the chance to contest the gold medal match when they lost 3-1 to hosts France in extra time despite taking the lead through Mahmoud Saber.